In this section, we have explored the different explanations for mental health, mental wellness, and mental illness. We have looked at what sociologists care about when they study mental health, and we have looked at some of the leading explanations for mental challenges—including stress and social role conflict. We have seen that people of color, and people who are poor, are more likely to have mental health challenges—and we have seen that this is probably both an effect of being poor, as well as a cause. We ended the chapter by looking at innovative ways social service organizations have responded to mental illness problems in their communities.

9.7.1 Key Terms

anxiety disorders: a disorder characterized by excessive anxiety.

commodification of mental illness: the process by which people with or without mental illnesses become consumers- of therapy, medication, or lifestyle changes. Mental health becomes something you can “buy.”

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM): the handbook used by health care professionals in the United States and much of the world as the authoritative guide to the diagnosis of mental disorders. DSM contains descriptions, symptoms and other criteria for diagnosing mental disorders.

Gender: the attitudes, behaviors, norms, and roles that a society or culture associated with an individual’s sex, thus the social differences between female and male; the meanings attached to being feminine or masculine.

five models of mental illness: biological model: understands mental health and illness to be a combination of genetics and neurochemicals. It understands mental illness to be a defect of brain chemistry. biopsychosocial model: an interdisciplinary model that looks at the interconnection between biology, psychology, and socio-environmental factors medical model: a theory that states that psychiatric conditions are caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain. psychological model: an approach to mental illness that assumes mental health and mental illness lie within mental processes, such as beliefs, attitudes, thinking patterns, and life experiences. sociological model: an approach that emphasizes that a society’s culture shapes its understanding of health and illness and practice of medicine”

gender identity: one’s innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither – how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. One’s gender identity can be the same or different from their sex assigned at birth.

gender expression: the external appearance of one’s gender identity, usually expressed through behavior, clothing, body characteristics or voice, and which may or may not conform to socially defined behaviors and characteristics typically associated with being either masculine or feminine.

mental health: a state of mind characterized by emotional well-being, good behavioral adjustment, relative freedom from anxiety and disabling symptoms, and a capacity to establish constructive relationships and cope with the ordinary demands and stresses of life.

mental illness: a wide range of mental health conditions, disorders that affect your mood, thinking, and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors.

mental wellbeing: an internal resource that helps us think, feel, connect, and function; it is an active process that helps us to build resilience, grow, and flourish.

mood disorders: affective disorders which refers to a number of psychological illnesses that affect mood. (affect (noun) is the outward expression of internal emotions)

patriarchy: a form of mental, social, spiritual, economic and political organization/structuring of society produced by the gradual institutionalization of sex based political relations created, maintained and reinforced by different institutions linked closely together to achieve consensus on the lesser value of women and their roles.

personality disorders: any of a class of mental disorders characterized by ongoing rigid patterns of thought and action.

psychopathology: the condition of having a psychological or psychiatric disorder that is pathologized into being an illness.

racial trauma: a term used to describe the physical and psychological symptoms that people of Color often experience after being exposed to stressful experiences of racism (Carter 2007)

role strain: a situation caused by higher-than-expected demands placed on an individual performing a specific role that leads to difficulty or stress.

self-fulfilling prophecy: the psychological phenomenon of someone “predicting” or expecting something, and this “prediction” or expectation coming true simply because the person believes or anticipates it will and the person’s resulting behaviors align to fulfill the belief. This suggests that people’s beliefs influence their actions.

sex: A biological categorization based on characteristics that distinguish between female and male based on primary sex characteristics present at birth.

stereotype: the characterization of a group of people as sharing the same behavior and features.

stigmatization of illness : when stigma is aimed at a person with a physical or mental illness or condition

trauma: a person (or group) response to a deeply distressing or disturbing event that overwhelms one’s ability to cope, causes feelings of helplessness, diminishes self esteem and the ability to feel a full range of emotions and experiences.

9.7.2 Discussion Questions

1. What are the differences between mental health, mental illness, and mental well-being? What factors impact which label someone might receive?
2. How do different approaches define and treat mental illness?
3. Mental illness and mental health often underlie other social problems. Please explain this statement using a specific example.
4. How has COVID both increased the incidence of poor mental health and increased our capacity for providing mental health support?
5. How have the structures and practices of patriarchy contributed to gender oppression across many social problems?
6. What does it mean to practice “self care”?
7. What impact has COVID-19 had on your understanding of mental health?